Apparatus for folding box-shells

ABSTRACT

In a box-shell covered with a label glued to each of its walls except its hinge wall, an apparatus for folding the box-shell in a glue-wet condition so as to avoid any spring-back at the hinge wall after the box has been folded and the glue has been fully setup, the apparatus comprises means for conveying a plurality of such box-shells past automatic means which prepare the lower pan of each box-shell for nesting within its upper pan, toward a means for holding the hinge wall of each box-shell against movement during folding, and through a movable guide means for directing each folded box to a stacking station.

United States Patent John N. Brown East Aurora, N.Y.

[211 App]. No. 2,175

[22] Filed Jan. 12, 1970 [45] Patented June 15, I971 [73] Assignee F.N. Burt Company, Inc.

Buffalo, N.Y.

[72] Inventor [54] APPARATUS FOR FOLDING BOX-SHELLS 6 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

1,962,638 6/1934 Czerweny l,979,993 11/1934 Peck ABSTRACT: In a box-shell covered with a label glued to each of its walls except its hinge wall, an apparatus for folding the box-shell in a glue-wet condition so :as to avoid any spring back at the hinge wall after the box has been folded and the glue has been fully setup, the apparatus comprises means for conveying a plurality of such box-shells past automatic means which prepare the lower pan of each box-shell for nesting within its upper pan, toward a means for holding the hinge wall of each box-shell against movement during folding, and through a movable guide means for directing each folded box to a stacking station.

APPARATUS FOR FOLDING BOX-SHELLS This invention relates generally to a box folding apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for automatically closing a series of glued label box-shells each having lower and upper pan members in a manner whereby the box-shell will remain completely closed unassisted. Box-shells of the type having an upper and lower pan member interconnected by means of a hinge wall are usually provided with a label or other cover material glued entirely to the box-shell cutout blank so as to form end walls and a sidewall for each of the pan members. Generally, the box-shell is then folded either automatically or by hand after the contents are introduced, fastened shut and shipped to the customer. But, should the customer himself prefer to introduce the contents into each box, for example, a photographic film producer or processor, it becomes less cumbersome from the standpoint of conveniently stacking or storing these boxes if they are received by the customer in a completely folded and unfastened condition. However, without additional locking means or tabs these glue-labeled boxes have a tendency to pop open after being completely folded by reason of the springback tension occurring at the foldlines. This tension is occasioned by allowing the label glue to setup before folding whereupon the label at the foldlines acts like a spring when stretched during folding. Since the label in this area will assume a relaxed position only when the box is fully open, the box will always return to that relaxed position after being folded. Boxes of this type have, therefore, been designed for eliminating this springback tension by not providing glue for the label at the hinge wall or its foldlines and by folding the box in a glue wet condition so as to ensure a completely relaxed condition for the label at this area. The box may be then completely folded to a closed position and remain completely closed unassisted without the use of tabs 9r locking means. However, such an operation has been heretofore carried out entirely by hand thereby significantly increasing the cost of production for large numbers of folded boxes.

With the present invention, completely automatic means are provided for continuously folding these types of glue labeled box-shells from a completely open to a completely folded and stacked position. Automatically actuated plungers are provided at one station along a conveyor for inwardly and downwardly depressing the bottom pan sidewalls of each boxshell in succession, and another automatically actuated plunger is provided at another station of the conveyor for inwardly and downwardly depressing the bottom pan end wall of each box-shell as each box is moved therethrough. Ac-

cordingly, the bottom pan of each shell may be fully nested within its upper pan. Nesting is effected by means of a pair of pivotal folding plates located at a further station along the conveyor which automatically nest the lower pan within its upper pan while a vertically movable foot member is made to hold the hinge panel against movement. Just prior to complete folding, the foot member is raised out of interference with the box to allow complete closing whereupon a vertically movable guide means is lowered partially over the folded box for directing it toward a stacking station. It is, therefore, the principle object of this invention to provide a means for automatically folding glue labeled box-shells of the type described in a continuous operation whereby the folding of vast numbers of boxes are made possible in a more economical, expeditious and efficient manner.

Another object of this invention is to provide such an apparatus wherein means are provided for conveying a plurality of such box-shells past automatic means which prepare the lower pan of each box-shell for complete nesting within its upper pan and toward a hinge wall holding means which holds the box against movement during automatic folding.

A further object of the instant invention is to provide such a box folding apparatus as also having automatic means for guiding the folded boxes toward a stacking station.

A still further object of this invention is to provide such a box folding apparatus for a continuous supply of boxes wherein preparation for the nesting of each lower pan is effected by means of plungers along a conveyor which automatically depress both the sidewalls and end wall of each box lower pan, and wherein automatic folding is effected by means for upwardly pivoting each pan about each of the hinge panel foldlines while the label which is unglued at the hinge panel is in a still-wet condition.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus wherein the holding means is retracted a sufficient distance so as to completely clear the box-shell during closing after which the guide means is lowered over the closed box for directing it toward a stacking area for subsequent stacking.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide such an apparatus wherein each of the plungers are pivotally mounted at a predetermined distance below the lower pan so that the lower pan end walls and sidewall may be depressed downwardly as well as inwardly.

A still further object of the instant invention is to provide such an apparatus wherein the holding means is a vertically retractable foot member having a surface area at one end substantially equal to the area of the hinge wall thereby ensuring that each of the pans will pivot about each of the foldlines while being raised.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus wherein the raising means comprise a plate for each of the pans, each plate being pivotally mounted below the pans near each of the foldlines so that each pan may be pivoted only at these foldlines while the foot member holds the hinge wall against movement.

A still further object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus wherein the guide means comprises a hat-shaped member which is partially lowered over the closed end of the box after being completely closed.

Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of the invention when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. I is a plan view of the assembled apparatus for the automatic continuous folding of box-shells according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective showing of the label-covered boxshell usable with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a view taken substantially along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective showing of the plungers for the end walls of the box-shell bottom pan;

FIG. 5 is a perspective showing of the plunger for the sidewall of the box-shell bottom pan;

FIG. 6 is a perspective showing of the retractable foot member and retractable hat-shaped member usable for holding and guiding the box-shell, respectively, according to the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a side view of the apparatus shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 7 but showing the upper and lower pan members in the process of being raised by pivotal plate members;

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 8 except that the bottom and upper pan members are shown in an almost fully nested position with the foot member in the process of complete retraction;

FIG. 10 is a view similar to FIG. 7 except that the box-shell is shown completely closed, the foot member completely retracted upwardly and the hat-shaped member lowered to a position over the closed box in accordance with the invention; and

FIG. 11 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 11-11 ofFlG. 10.

Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference characters refer to like and corresponding parts throughout the several views there is shown in FIG. 1 the assembled apparatus 20 for automatically folding a plurality of boxes 21, of

the box-shell type, in a continuous operation in accordance with the present invention. Each of the boxes 21 enter the apparatus 20 at station A, proceed through stations B, C. D (to be explained hereinafter) and leave the apparatus at station E completely folded and stacked. Each box 21, as shown in FIG. 2, is formed of a die cut blank 22 in any customary manner after which a cover or label 23 is glued on one face of the blank and partially overlapping the edges thereof so as to form a lower pan 24 and an upper pan 25. As can be seen, each of the upper and lower pans have a pair of end walls 24, 25 and a single end wall 24", 25", respectively. The pans are interconnected by a hinge wall 26 which is defined by foldlines 27 each common to one of the pan members. In FIG. 3, it will be noted that the portion of label 23 for he hinge wall 26, which is referenced as 23', is left unglued from the die cut blank 22 only at this hinge wall and beneath substantially each foldline 27. The width of portion 23' is shown to be slightly in excess of the distance between each foldline for the reason that, during application of the label to the die cut blank, portion 23 is merely loosely placed over hinge wall 26 without stretching. The significance of such application will be hereinafter explained.

Label 23 is applied to each of the die cut blanks 22 (in any conventional manner forming no part of this invention) and, while in a wet condition, i.e., when the glue on the label is still wet, each of the completely open boxes 21 are placed on a conveyor 28 in an abutting relationship so that the end walls 24', 24' and 25, 25' of the respective adjoining boxes are in face-to-face relationship with each other as seen in FIG. 1. The boxes are conveyed in any customary manner toward station A and, by means of overhead stop members 29, are per mitted to enter the station A only one-at-a-time. The stop members 29 are actuated through a link member 31 by a means not shown and the open boxes 21 are maintained in close contact with the conveyor 28 by means of a pair of inwardly directed elongated flanges 32, shown partially broken away in FIG. 1. As each of the boxes 21 enters the station A, an automatically actuated plunger 33 conveys the box to a station B between a pair of guide members 34 whereupon it will be momentarily stopped by the box immediately ahead of it which lies against perpendicularly oriented guide plates 35, 36. It should be noted that, at the start of the operation, this box, at the corner of plates 35, 36, may be temporarily placed there by hand until the box at station B is made to automatically occupy that position.) At station B, the end walls 24' of the bottom pan 24 are depressed inwardly by means of plungers 37 which are actuated by any conventional means, not shown. As seen clearly in FIG. 4, each plunger 37 is mounted so as to pivot about a rod 38 each located below the table surface 39 over which the boxes 21 are made to travel. By mounting the plungers 37 in such a manner, it can be seen that the end walls 24' are depressed, is then moved in a forward direction so as to rest against the guide plates 35, 36 after the box which has occupied that position is moved forwardly along the apparatus toward station C. (Of course, the open box temporarily placed against plates 35, 36 at the start of the operation, as suggested above, must be manually removed before the plunger 33 moves the open box from station B to its comer position against 35, 36.) Movement to station C is effected by means of one of a plurality of dog links 41 attached to an endless conveyor chain (not shown) so that each dog link 41 extends up through an elongated slot 42 provided in the table surface 39. At the station C, a sidewall plunger 43 is actuated so as to inwardly depress the sidewall 24" of the box, as seen most clearly in FIG. of the drawings. As with the end wall plunge 37, the sidewall plunger 43 is also designed for pivotal movement about a rod 44 located at a distance below the surface of the table 39 so that the sidewall 24" may also be depressed both inwardly and downwardly. With the end walls and sidewall of the bottom pan so depressed, it can be seen that the bottom pan may be thereafter easily nested with the upper pan 25 without interference.

Such a nesting or folding of the lower within the upper pan takes place at the station D after the pan with its depressed end walls and sidewall is moved thereto by means of the dog link 41. At this station, the box comes to rest temporarily between the guide bars 45, 46 directly over a pair of pivot plates 47 provided for each of the pans, as seen most clearly in FIGS. 6 and 7. Before the pan members are raised upwardly, a foot member 48 is lowered for the purpose of holding the hinge panel 26 of the box firmly against the table top 39 before folding. It should be noted that the surface of the foot member which contacts the hinge wall is of an area substantially equal to the hinge wall 26 area so as to ensure that when the pans are raised upwardly they will be pivoted along each of the foldlines 27. After the foot member is so lowered, each of the plate members 47 is pivoted upwardly about their pivot points 49 located below the surface of top 39 and near each of the foldlines 27. Linkage members 51, provided for this purpose, are actuated by any conventional manner (not shown). During raising (see FIG. 8), foot member 48 is maintained flatly against the hinge wall 26 until the pans are raised toward a point approaching complete folding, as shown in FIG. 9 whereupon the foot member is elevated a sufficient distance so as to clear the box before the pans are completely folded as seen in FIG. 10. In this figure, the box is shown completely folded and the pivot plates 47 moved back toward their horizontal position. Just after the pivot plates 47 have reached a vertical position, however, a guide means in the form of a hat-shaped member 52 is lowered partially over one end of the closed box so as to ensure that the box will remain supported on its hinge wall, as shown in FIG. 10, while it is then moved from station D to station E by means of the dog link 41.

Referring back briefly to FIG. 6, it will be noted that each of the pivot plates 47 is partially cut out as at 53 and each of the side plates 54 of the member 52 is shorter than the distance between the cutouts 53 on each plate 47 so as to avoid any interference between the plate 47 and the member 52 during the time the member 52 is descending and the plates 47 are moving from their vertical toward their horizontal positions.

After the completely folded boxes 21 are directed to station E they are automatically stacked as shown while being gradually moved to the left, as shown by the arrow.

Each of the boxes 21 at the station E remains completely folded without the assistance of tabs or fasteners after they leave the station D. Any tendency for the completely folded boxes to spring open after folding has been avoided by reason of the box being folded while in a still-wet condition and also by reason of the loosely placed label material 23' provided at the hinge wall 26. In this way, the label glue does not set up until after it reaches the station E because each box is moved to station A just after glue is successively applied to each one. Also, during folding, portion 23 of the label may provide sufficient slack to be taken up by foldlines 27 so that any tension which might have been present in the label at the hinge wall area is eliminated and the portion 23' will be made to lie wholly against hinge wall 26 after complete folding, as seen in FIG. 11. Should the width of portion 23 be insufficient for the purpose of taking up this slack during folding, the undried condition of the label glue will permit the label to sufficiently shift so as to avoid any label tension at the portion 23' which would otherwise cause springback. Also, it should be noted that the unglued area of portion 23 extends outwardly away from each foldline 27 at distance of approximately one-sixteenth inch so as to further ensure against any springback tension of the label in this area.

From the foregoing, it can be seen that a completely automated technique for folding a label covered box-shell has been devised for operation in simple yet highly efficient manner for carrying out an operation heretofore accomplished by hand. Each box-shell is fed through the apparatus in succession oneat-a-time to station A, forwardly to station B whereupon sidewall plungers 37 depress the sidewalls 24' of the bottom pan 24 inwardly and downwardly, forwardly to station C where an end wall plunger 43 depresses the bottom pan end wall 24" inwardly and downwardly, and then forwardly to a station D whereupon a foot member 48 is lowered after which pivot plates 47 commence raising of each of the pans toward each other for nesting engagement of the lower pan 24 within the upper pan 25. Just before complete nesting, the foot member 68 is elevated to completely clear the box and a hatshaped guide member 52 is lowered partially over the closed box so that it may be subsequently directed toward a stacking station E. Upon receipt of a quantity of completely folded boxes 21, the customer may then simply open each box, introduce the desired contents therein and thereafter seal the box closed for sale to the ultimate user. The box will remain completely closed before being opened by the customer by reason of the aforedescribed precaution taken against springback. In this way, each of the completely folded boxes may be neatly and more efficiently stacked after they leave the apparatus of the present invention and before the customer fills each of the boxes with the desired contents.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in the light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

Whatl claim is:

1. Apparatus for folding a box-shell having upper and lower pans, each with two end walls and a sidewall, a hinge wall defined by a pair of foldlines interconnecting said pans, said box-shell being covered throughout with a glued label except for the hinge wall which is provided with an unglued and untensioned amount of label material, the apparatus comprising:

first plungers for depressing said lower pan end walls inwardly;

a second plunger for depressing said lower sidewall inwardly;

retractable means for holding said hinge wall against movement; and

means for raising said pans, while said label is in a said stillwet condition, between a completely open to a completely closed position so as to pivot about each of said foldlines while said holding means maintains said hinge wall against movement, and said holding means being retracted a distance equal to at least the width of said sidewalls immediately prior to closing of said pans so as to permit said lower pan to be fully nested within said upper pan, said unglued and untensio ned amount of label material permitting said box-shell to be completely closed, unrestrained and thereafter to remain completely closed after the glue of said label has set.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for guiding said closed box-shell toward a stacking area for subsequent stacking.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first and second plungers are each pivotally mounted at a predetermined distance below said lower pan whereby said lower pan end walls and sidewall may be depressed downwardly as well as inwardly.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said retractable means comprises a vertically movable foot member having a surface area at its forward end substantially equal to the area of said hinge wall so as to ensure the pivoting of said pans by said raising means at each said foldline.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said raising means comprises a pivot plate for each of said pans, each said plate being pivotally mounted below said pans near each of said foldlines, respectively, whereby said pans may be pivoted only at said foldlines while said foot member holds said hinge wall against movement.

6. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said pans are upwardly pivoted to a completely closed position and wherein said guide means comprises a hat-shaped member capable of being lowered partially over the closed end of said box-shell after being completely closed. 

1. Apparatus for folding a box-shell having upper and lower pans, each with two end walls and a sidewall, a hinge wall defined by a pair of foldlines interconnecting said pans, said box-shell being covered throughout with a glued label except for the hinge wall which is provided with an unglued and untensioned amount of label material, the apparatus comprising: first plungers for depressing said lower pan end walls inwardly; a second plunger for depressing said lower sidewall inwardly; retractable means for holding said hinge wall against movement; and means for raising said pans, while said Label is in a said still-wet condition, between a completely open to a completely closed position so as to pivot about each of said foldlines while said holding means maintains said hinge wall against movement, and said holding means being retracted a distance equal to at least the width of said sidewalls immediately prior to closing of said pans so as to permit said lower pan to be fully nested within said upper pan, said unglued and untensioned amount of label material permitting said box-shell to be completely closed, unrestrained and thereafter to remain completely closed after the glue of said label has set.
 2. The apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means for guiding said closed box-shell toward a stacking area for subsequent stacking.
 3. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said first and second plungers are each pivotally mounted at a predetermined distance below said lower pan whereby said lower pan end walls and sidewall may be depressed downwardly as well as inwardly.
 4. The apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said retractable means comprises a vertically movable foot member having a surface area at its forward end substantially equal to the area of said hinge wall so as to ensure the pivoting of said pans by said raising means at each said foldline.
 5. The apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said raising means comprises a pivot plate for each of said pans, each said plate being pivotally mounted below said pans near each of said foldlines, respectively, whereby said pans may be pivoted only at said foldlines while said foot member holds said hinge wall against movement.
 6. The apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said pans are upwardly pivoted 90to a completely closed position and wherein said guide means comprises a hat-shaped member capable of being lowered partially over the closed end of said box-shell after being completely closed. 